I found you
by hollowwind
Summary: It had been eight months since the Battle of Hogwarts and the wizarding world was finally in order. Lord Voldemort and his best lieutenants were gone. There was nothing and no one to be afraid of. Still, the words of a woman who should have been dead rang like an alarm in the head of Hermione Granger. 'I'll comeback for you. Soon enough.'
1. 1999

**_A/N:_ Hello and welcome to my first ever story. The idea came to me right before New Year's eve and i needed to do this. To be honest, i still have to figure out where this story is going to go from here but i promise - i'll get there. This will be Bellatrix/Hermione since i do find the pairing _very_ interesting and the lack of stories - disappointing. I hope you enjoy reading as much as i do writing it.**

**_Reviews _are veeery welcome and strongly approved. It's always nice to write when you know that people are interested. So please, _don't hesitate and review_. **

**Text in _italic _is the past, memories.**

**Oh and i don't own Harry Potter. x**

* * *

Chapter 1.

_1999_

* * *

'Five.. four.. three.. two.. one.. Happy New Year!' the voices of many witches and wizards shouted in unison as the clock started pounding at midnight.

Every person in the room seemed to be happy about the change of year, hugging and kissing each other. The crowded kitchen of the burrow was waving with life. There was, however, a lonely figure standing outside, seemingly untouched by the good vibes and emotions. Hermione Granger wanted to be alone for a moment, to cope with her own feelings.

It had been eight months since the Battle of Hogwarts. The wizarding world was finally in order. Lord Voldemort and his best lieutenants were dead and the last remaining death eaters were thrown into cold cells of Azkaban prison. There was nothing and no one to be afraid of. Or so everyone believed.

Hermione sighed and took another sip of punch. She didn't join her friends when they offered her shots of firewhiskey because she wanted her senses to be sharp and accurate. For only the bookworm knew the truth. A dangerous person was free and could interrupt their peace at any moment. Someone who was supposedly dead for eight months now.

_May 3__rd__, 1998_

'_Hermione!' Ginny shouted as she ran after her friend._

'_What is it?' the golden girl asked, still in grief for her friend's family. _

'_I know I promised to meet you at the great hall to help but… I think I'll go stay with George this evening. He's quite depressed, you know.'_

'_It's alright, Ginny. Do what you have to.' Hermione tried to force out a small smile but her attempts were in vain. There was too much pain._

_She took her younger friend into an embrace and after staying that way for a couple of minutes, parted and turned to a very familiar corridor. She slowly walked to the Great Hall. There was no point in waiting any longer for help was necessary at all times. The bodies of those who had fallen had to be carried out of the castle. The families of the people who were now considered heroes, waited for their chances to say their goodbyes to their loved ones. _

_The girl pushed the heavy wooden door and stepped into the once-majestic hall. All one could see now were piles of ruins. Four house tables were nowhere to be found, the windows and walls – broken. At the very end lay a row of destroyed people. Hermione couldn't hold back her tears when she saw the bodies of people that were so dear to her lying there. Void of any movement. Lifeless. _

_She realised that there was no other living person in the room but her. The girl was the only one to see how many people sacrificed themselves for a better world before their bodies were brought back to their siblings. The heroes of the second wizarding war weren't the only corpses in the hall, however. Separated from everyone else lay the bodies of the ones who were responsible for the battle. The once feared death eaters and their very own Dark Lord were finally destroyed and harmless. Hermione didn't think she should walk near those people she was still afraid of deep down inside but the bald Gryffindor courage took her to the point of doing so. She approached the pale corpses with something, she knew, her friends wouldn't understand. Pain. No matter how evil and cruel these people were, the girl still couldn't feel good about their deaths. She grieved their families, tried to find an explanation for their actions. There must have been a reason for them to turn evil, to do the things they did. For some it was fear, others were raised to believe that the wrong was right. _

_Hermione didn't even notice how she walked up to a certain woman. She suddenly felt an itch in her forearm where Bellatrix Lestrange scarred her. Even in death the death eater looked fierce and powerful. Her pale skin was bruised and covered in blood here and there; the wild black waterfall of hair fell right under her corset-clad back. Her face, though a lot more peaceful, still had the evil glint in it. Maybe it was because of the sharp cheekbones and dark lidded eyes, the girl mused. Even though she was gaunt and dark, one couldn't deny the fact that after fourteen years of imprisonment and various battles, Lord Voldemort's right-hand woman was actually quite… beautiful._

_Were it not for the family's obsession with blood purity, the now dead woman could've had a completely different life. No one was born evil. It's the environment and people around us that shape us the most. Only a few have the courage of breaking such ancient rules. Young Bellatrix Black was being fed the idea that those of pureblooded families are far more superior than any other kind and that muggleborns, or mudbloods, were the scum and vermin of their world, unworthy of having any magical powers, for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day of her entire life. No wonder she turned to Voldemort's side. And after being next to a man as cruel as him there weren't many chances to stay human and not get killed._

_Hermione sighed. She tried to shake the thoughts of the woman in front of her out of her head. She had enough of her for a lifetime. The girl was about to leave when it hit her. Something was actually different about the dark woman. She looked at all the bodies of now ex-death eaters and didn't feel any emotions. No one affected her the way Bellatrix did. The muggleborn turned to look at the body again. Then, she realised. Even though the dark-haired woman was still and her face emotionless, she wasn't exactly… cold. Hermione could still feel the warmth from her body, something that shouldn't belong to a dead person. _It can't be.

_She saw Molly Weasley's spell hit Lestrange right in the chest. At that moment the Dark Lord's last, best lieutenant was killed. The girl looked at her for the last time and decided that she was just imagining things. She couldn't actually believe their luck. The war was over and the evil ones were dead and gone. Hermione silently left the Great Hall and rushed to the already-repaired dormitories. She was tired and a good night's sleep would take care of everything. In time, she knew she would understand that they won and no one, not Voldemort and certainly not his woman death eater could harm them anymore. She was just as dead as her master._

That moment didn't leave Hermione's mind ever since it happened. Every single day she thought about it. She never told about her suspicions to anyone, nor did she mention what happened later that night. Hermione emptied another glass of the dark red drink. She closed her eyes and saw it crystal clear, as if it was happening right now, in front of her.

_The girl's eyes shot open all of a sudden. She was woken up by a strange feeling of another's presence. She looked around the dark room but saw no one. _

'_Looking for me?' a low voice purred from the other side of the room._

'_W-Who is it?' Hermione jumped out of the bed and started rapidly searching for her wand. It wasn't there._

'_Oh calm down, mudblood. I'm not going to kill you… yet.' A very alive Bellatrix Lestrange revealed herself and grinned._

_The older woman quickly reached the girl and Hermione felt as if she were a prey. Cornered up, without any weapons. She opened her mouth and screamed. As loud as she could, she shouted for help. But Bellatrix only laughed._

'_Is the ickle baby mudblood afraid of the big bad Bewwatwix?' she pouted, 'No one can hear you so you might as well shut up.'_

_Suddenly, the older woman jumped on her victim and pinned the girl under her own weight. She sat down on the muggleborn's stomach and Hermione felt tears in her eyes. The situation was all too familiar. _

'_I see you remember our last encounter, mud pup.' the death eater cackled, a look of insanity in her coal black eyes._

'_Get off me!' the girl squirmed under the grip of the crazy woman but it was all useless._

'_Feisty, are we?' Bellatrix smirked and leaned close to the younger woman's face; too close, 'I like that.'_

_Hermione's breath hitched as she felt a warm tongue on the side of her neck. Once a wet trail was made, the dark haired woman bit her. Hard. The girl screamed in pain but she was soon shut up by a cold, bony hand of her captor._

'_I thought I made it quite clear when I told you to shut up!' she roared, 'Besides, I only came here to give you a little reminder. After all, it's because of you I am free. Anyone else would've told the aurors about me… but not you.'_

_Hermione's eyes widened in shock. No, it wasn't her fault. She didn't know for sure if her assumptions were right! She thought she was being bonkers… _

'_Oh but you did. Deep down you knew I was alive.' Bellatrix grinned and let go of the girl, 'I have to go or your 'help' will be in vain. But don't worry mudblood… I'll comeback for you. Soon enough.'_

She remembered how she woke up the next morning – as if nothing happened. She was in her comfortable bed and the room didn't show any signs of intrusion. Moreover, had the death eater come to her dormitories, she would've killed her without thought. The girl tried to convince herself that it was just a bad dream. But why did it feel so real then? And why, in her own world, didn't she fight the psychotic woman?.. Hermione looked through the window and realised that most of their friends were already asleep. She saw Ron lying on the couch and sneered. How typical. When her mind finally decided that it was best to go to bet too, she took in a deep breath of fresh air once again and walked into the burrow. Quietly, so no one could hear her, she ran upstairs and into her room. She locked the door and fell onto her soft bed. The girl wanted to finally get some rest but the memories of that particular morning were still invading her mind with great force.

_Hermione quickly put on her robes and ran downstairs to the Great Hall, not even sparing a glance to the people who tried to approach her. When she finally reached her destination, the student stormed into the room and started rapidly searching for a particular person. And then she saw her. Slowly, the girl walked up to the death eater. It didn't feel the same, seeing the witch. She didn't seem at all different from the rest of the corpses that still lay in the hall. She wasn't warm, nor was she intimidating. Still, Hermione needed to make sure. She fell to her knees next to the pale woman and put her trembling hand on Bellatrix's chest. Inside of it, where the heart should be beating like a drum, was nothing. Emptiness. The witch was dead. _

'_What are you doing?' Hermione almost jumped upwards when she heard the voice of Molly Weasley coming from behind her._

'_I was just making sure that she, well... that she is actually gone.' The girl tried not to sound awkward but she realised that she was unsuccessful when Mrs. Weasley arched her brow._

'_Well why wouldn't she be?' the redhead asked, confused, 'I finished her off. And I hope you're sure of it too now?'_

'_Positive.' _

'_There's nothing to be afraid of anymore, dear.' the woman gave her a knowing smile and walked away._

_She was right. For the first time after their encounter in the Department of Mysteries, Hermione looked at the death eater and didn't feel fear. Or so she thought._

The girl screamed in frustration. It had been eight months and she still couldn't get rid of these thoughts. She knew it was pointless. Bellatrix was dead. She wouldn't harm her anymore. Still, her last words ringed like an alarm in the head of Hermione. 'I'll comeback for you. Soon enough.' She even heard the woman's voice. It was so clear, as if she was standing right next to her.

The girl shook her head and decided to try and get some sleep. She needed to be in her full strength since it wasn't long before she would come back to Hogwarts. Hermione decided to continue her studies after the war and, since this was her year of N.E.W.T's, she needed to focus on education, especially after New Year's. Quickly, the girl jumped into her night robes, lay down and closed her eyes after a long day. It didn't take too long for Hermione to finally fall asleep.

It didn't go unnoticed by a dark clad figure standing on a hill right in front of the burrow when the lights in the golden girl's room switched off.

'I found you.'


	2. Scarlet

_**A/N:**_** Wow, thank you for such a nice welcoming! I didn't think that this would gain any attention at all but i'm certainly glad it did! I love reading your reviews and it keeps me motivated to write more. This chapter just popped into my head today so i had to please you, dear readers, and write it all down. I am happy to say that i finally have a couple of ideas for this story so bear with me. I hope to update this as frequently as possible. I can't promise you wonders but i will try. x**

**I still don't own Harry Potter. **

* * *

Chapter 2.

_Scarlet_

* * *

Hermione sat comfortably in a compartment of Hogwarts Express, reading a book and seemingly oblivious to the chit-chat of her two friends next to her. She, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood were on their way back to school after their holidays. The last few days after New Year's were quite rushed; the Gryffindor didn't even notice how they flew by. All her free time was spent on packing and extra studying. Like always, she was fully prepared for all of her classes before they even started. The boys, Harry and Ron, the latter was now her boyfriend, teased her for it constantly but she just smiled at them and continued doing what she had to do.

Neither of them came back to Hogwarts with her. To all of their astonishment, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the now-minister of magic, offered the three of them Auror positions in the Ministry without the need of their N.E.W.T. examinations. The boys, especially the read-head, accepted the proposal immediately. Hermione, however, declined. She wasn't sure that this job was what she truly wanted; it didn't seem completely her 'place to be'. Plus, the girl always knew that before she would take part in any working establishment, she would most definitely finish her studies fully and without any exceptions. Her decision didn't surprise any of her friends, or parents.

Immediately after the war was over, Hermione flew to Australia and went to search for her parents. To her relief, it wasn't as hard as she expected it to be. With the help of professor McGonagall, she restored their memories and safely came back to Britain, where they could finally continue living their lives without any thread. Her parents were quite mad for what she had done at first, for they couldn't believe that they had no knowledge of their beloved daughter for such a long time. But when the Gryffindor explained each and every detail and why her actions were essential, they understood. Her mother and father were happy to have their daughter safe once again. Hermione stayed with them the entire summer. She missed them deeply and she wanted to make up for every moment she couldn't be with them. The three of them even went on vacation to the same place in Australia, only this time - as a family.

'Hermione!'

The girl almost jumped out of her seat when her red-head friend said her name rather loudly.

'What is it, Ginny?'

'I've been calling you for the last three minutes or something, you gave no response.'

'Sorry, I must've been too into this book.' she admitted and watched her friend chuckle slightly.

'It's okay. Me and Luna are going to buy some snacks, do you want to come?'

'I think I'll just wait here until you two come back, if that's alright?'

'Sure.' the younger girls nodded in unison and left the compartment.

Before Hermione could continue reading, the door swung open once again and a blond witch's head popped into her view. The Gryffindor couldn't suppress a giggle.

'Do you want me to get you something?' the Ravenclaw asked with a smile.

'No thank you Luna. I'm fine.' she smiled back and, after receiving a nod from her friend, was left alone once again.

Hermione looked at the book in her hands and sighed. She realised that she was reading the same two pages for the last twenty minutes over and over again because honestly, her mind was somewhere else. She couldn't stop thinking what would happen in the future. She would finish her education and then… what then? Did she really know what she wanted? What if she failed? The exams, the studies, the job offers… what if she won't be happy? Deep down in her heart, another crucial question lingered, stabbing her insides with intensity. The girl wrapped her arms around herself as if to avoid the feeling. Would she still be alive by the end of her school year?...

_After carrying the bodies out of the Great Hall and repairing it, the room was once again brought to life. Four long tables stood in their rightful places and were heavily laden with hundreds of delicious dishes and drinks. Each and every student and staff member were now present in the hall, happily marking the end of the dark times and the new beginning of a bright and, hopefully, violence-free era._

_The golden trio sat in the middle of the long Gryffindor table, surrounded by their friends and even some family members. Hermione rolled her eyes at the sight of Ron practically destroying the meal in his plate. If there was one thing that the war hadn't changed, it was the boy's appetite. The girl decided to join her boyfriend and took some pudding and pumpkin juice. The meal was exquisite like always. Even though she didn't like the fact that it were indeed house-elves that cooked it, without any rewards for their work, she had to admit that she wouldn't have the strength to refuse the dishes they made. _

'_So I received a letter from Kingsley.' Harry began, 'They're offering me an Auror position!'_

'_I know, I got one too! Can you believe it? A bloody Auror!' Ron said cheerfully after finishing his food; something Hermione was glad about, 'It's like a dream come true!'_

'_And we don't even need our exams. Having in mind my relationship with Potions, it's the best thing that could happen.' the green eyed boy grinned and turned to his other friend, 'How about you, Hermione? Did you get the letter?'_

'_Well, I did…' she huffed, 'But honestly Harry, I'm not sure I want the job.'_

'_Why?' the red-headed boy interrupted before the boy who lived could answer._

'_Because I need to continue my education. I hoped that you two would consider coming back to Hogwarts with me next year. I can see now that you've already made up your minds.'_

'_I understand, Hermione. To be honest, I didn't think for a second that you wouldn't finish your seventh year.' Harry smiled and continued, 'I thought about it too but this offer made me re-think everything. This is what I always wanted so I can't let go of this spot just like that.'_

'_Yeah mate, plus it's a lot easier. I would have to study like mad if I wanted to pass the exams for an Auror position!' the Weasley boy said while finishing another plate of delicious food._

'_Well, I'm happy for you two.' Hermione said, genuinely, 'I guess I'll share my desk with your sister for the next year.'_

'_It will be great, Hermione!' Ginny answered, 'We will have so much fun together!'_

'_I'm looking forward to it.' she smiled and continued eating._

'_Erm, Hermione?..' the Weasley girl leaned next to her ear and whispered._

'_What?' she turned around to face the girl; she was smirking._

'_Your neck looks… lovely.' she winked and, with a giggle, turned to talk to Harry._

_Her words made Hermione confused. What was she on about? Why was her neck 'lovely' all of a sudden? She excused herself from the table and headed right to the girls' bathroom at a quick pace. She swung the door open and walked up to a big mirror on the wall. Frowning, she pushed her hair aside and turned to look at her neck. Her jaw dropped at the sight and suddenly she felt hot tears freely trickling down her cheeks and onto the naked flesh._

_With trembling fingers, she touched a now fully exposed, almost wound-like circle. One couldn't even call it a hickey. It was definitely a rough and painful bite mark. Still shocked, the Gryffindor quickly reached for her wand and placed a couple of glamour charms on the dark purple bruise. When the skin finally regained its normal colour, Hermione sobbed and fell to the floor. She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her now bruised knees. Shaking, she sat like that for a long time. She felt numb and empty. Now, one thing was clear. Whatever happened that night would have its consequences._

When the train finally reached its destination, the three friends put on their cloaks and walked to the carriages. They found an empty one and took their seats. For the first time, all three of them could see the creature that pulled them. The thestral gracefully walked forward at a steady pace, breathing deeply as it did so. With each passing minute, the girls could see the grand castle better and better. Hogwarts was now fully repaired and showed no signs of battle.

'What's on your mind Hermione?' Luna asked in a singsong.

'N-nothing. What do you mean?' she asked, raising a brow.

'You seem troubled, that's all.'

'Oh.' Hermione breathed out, 'Everything's alright, really. Just… thinking about the upcoming classes, that's all.'

'Seriously Hermione, let go for at least one evening!' Ginny snarled, 'You'll be fine, you always are.'

'If you say so.' the brunette smirked.

She quickly changed the subject and, after doing so, continued talking to her friends through ought their entire ride.

When they stopped, the girls jumped out of the carriage and entered the school. They walked up a couple sets of stairs and went to the Great Hall to eat supper. Hermione wasn't all that hungry so she satisfied her need for food with a slice of apple pie and a glass of juice. The meal was delicious. After she was done eating, the girl waited for her friend to finish her dish and they left the room together. They both walked a well-known path to the Gryffindor common room where they met all their classmates.

The students had thrown a little welcoming party. There were bottles of butterbeer and big bowls of sweets. Loud chit-chats and cackles filled the air, completely overpowering the sound of warm blazing fire. The atmosphere was nice and friendly. Every soft couch was now occupied by at least five students on each, for everybody wanted to be a part of the event. They spoke about their holidays and Christmas gifts, how their New Year's eve went and so on.

Hermione was happy to see all of her friends in one place but honestly, she was quite exhausted. She hugged her classmates and after a long discussion about why she was withdrawing from the meeting, she finally made her point and climbed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. As Head Girl, she had her own little compartment where she could sleep alone and undisturbed. The Gryffindor entered the small but cosy room and muttered a locking spell. She knew Ginny would come and drag her out otherwise.

She didn't even have strength for a bath anymore. Quickly, the girl changed into her night gown and fell into her bed. She covered herself with a soft silk blanket and reached for her book. Even though her eyes were practically closed, Hermione thought that a bit of reading before finally drifting to sleep would do no wrong. Silently, she turned to the needed page and began doing so.

'I wonder…' a low voice reached her ears and Hermione dropped the book in surprise and… fear, 'Why does a girl hide in her dormitories while all of her friends are having a party downstairs, hmm?'

'Stupefy!' the girl yelled, pointing her wand at the now-visible Bellatrix Lestrange but the woman defended herself without effort.

The dark witch flicked her own wand and the Gryffindor's weapon flew out of her hand after the wordless Expelliarmus hit it. The girl jumped out of the bed and ran to the door but it was locked_. If only I had allowed Ginny to come inside._

'Now now mudblood, that's not a polite way to greet people.' she pouted, 'Don't muggles have manners?'

'What are you d-doing here?' she walked backwards until her back hit a cold wall, 'Y-you were dead! I saw it, I…'

'You felt my heartbeat, muddy. You didn't 'see' it, so don't lie to me.' Bellatrix cackled, 'Use that brain of yours for once. I forced a full bottle of Polyjuice potion down a dead man's throat. And they said you were smart.'

'Okay, you survived. It still doesn't answer my question.' the girl was shaking like a leaf when the older witch finally reached and pinned her against the wall, 'Why are you here?'

'I told you I'd come back, didn't I?' she whispered into the younger witch's ear, 'I always keep my promises.'

'W-what do you want?' Hermione's breath hitched when the raven-haired woman's warm breath danced on the side of her neck and jaw line.

'You.'

Immediately, the young witch was thrown to the ground. She fell on her stomach and the death eater was on top of her back in a moment, pinning the Gryffindor to the hard floor.

'Your muggle clothing is quite pathetic, don't you think?' the raven hissed, 'I believe the Gryffindor colours suit you a lot better.'

Hermione heard a familiar noise as Bellatrix took something out of her robes. The dagger.

'Get off me!' she tossed around and squirmed but the woman didn't move one bit.

'Like I said…' the dark witch continued, ignoring Hermione's words completely, 'your house colours suit you better. Especially… red.'

Suddenly, the girl felt a whiff of cold air caress her back as the woman on top of her cut her blue gown through the middle and it fell off her skin, leaving her flesh exposed. She screamed in frustration when she felt the flat side of the dagger touch her spine.

'P-please…' she sobbed, 'I'll do anything… just don't do this… I beg you… Don't hurt me.'

'But dear mudblood, it's so much fun! You have no idea!' she whispered into the girl's ear and grinned.

'You're free, why did you come back here?'

'Because I promised.'

Hermione shrieked in pain when she felt a sudden slash of the dagger on her back. Rubies trickled down her spine.

'Mudblood, now you're mine.'

'Stop! I'll do anything, just stop!..'

Bellatrix leaned down and traced the fresh wound on the girl's back with her slim fingers.

'You say I'm free but you have no idea.' she finally stood up and pulled the student with her, 'I can't be free. They will find me. And I'll rot there.'

She threw the Gryffindor onto the bed and gripped her face tightly. Her long nails dug into the soft flesh until scarlet trails escaped the small cuts.

'I need to be free, mudblood. And you will help me.'

'What? H-how?..' the girl's voice trembled; she started to feel dizzy.

'You will get me out of that hell hole. I don't care how, but you will. Or else, mud pup…' she grabbed her dagger once again and trailed the tip of it along Hermione's jaw bone, 'I'll kill you and your little friends.'

'Like hell you will.' the girl growled and picked up all her strength to push the woman in front of her.

The death eater lost balance and fell to the ground; when she saw the chance, Hermione quickly jumped off the bed and grabbed her wand.

'Alohomora!' she shouted, pointing at the door, and ran off as soon as she heard it unlock.

'MUDBLOOD!' Bellatrix shrieked but it was too late.

Hermione fled out of her room, followed only by the sound of the dark woman's dagger thrown into the closing door.

She burst into the common room and bumped into Ginny.

'Hermione, I thought you were… What happened to you?!'

'Quickly, call McGonagall!'

'Who… Who did this to you?' the younger girl gasped when she saw the scarlet liquid seeping through Hermione's cut nightgown.

'There's someone upstairs, I… Somebody go call bloody McGonagall!' she roared again and this time the gawping students nodded and ran out of the common room.

'Who, Hermione?' Ginny whispered, 'Who did this?'

'Bellatrix.'

* * *

**Love it? No?**

**Please _review_ and let me know!**

**x**


	3. Troubled

_**A/N: **_**I am sooo sorry for the delay. Honestly, i feel awful. The last month was really tough and intense for me - starting with the end of the term, multiple tests, awfully bad health, multiple birthdays and then finally - flu. Ihad absolutely no time or inspiration for the storry and for that i apologise. The next updates will be a lot more frequent. Promise. Aaanyway, no matter what, you guys still read and review my story and for that i am very grateful. It feels nice when you know that you're not only writing this for yourself. That others find joy and interest in your work aswell. Your feedback makes me so happy. So here you go, a freshly baked new chapter. I hope you enjoy it. x**

**I wish i owned Harry Potter, but i don't.**

* * *

Chapter 3.

_Troubled_

* * *

Hermione stood in the middle of the Gryffindor common room, still shaking from the sensation of her last encounter with a certain dark witch.

Her fellow gryffindors brought professor McGonagall to the dorms like she had requested but the woman death eater was already gone. Obviously. The young witch told her Transfiguration teacher everything – how she thought that Bellatrix was alive in the beginning, how she figured otherwise after she tried but didn't feel her heartbeat and how the woman finally came back to get her… The new headmistress of Hogwarts seemed very concerned and stormed out of the room to contact the Minister immediately. Just before leaving the place, however, she turned to face the girl again:

'We'll find her, Hermione. She won't hurt you ever again.' she offered a small smile when the student nodded in response, 'Let miss Weasley lead you to the hospital wing. Poppy will take care of your wounds.'

'We'll go there right away.' Ginny answered and took her friend's hand when the professor finally left.

'Let's… Let's go.' Hermione breathed and pulled her younger classmate along before she lost her strength.

The two girls ran down multiple sets of stairs as fast as they could. When the gryffindors finally reached the first floor, they turned to a familiar path on the left and reached the big wooden doors that lead to the Hospital tower.

'Ah, Miss Granger, Minerva told me about your… situation. Come in.' the nurse greeted when she spotted the girls by the entrance.

Hermione gave a curt nod and entered the room, followed by her red-haired friend. She sat on one of the white sheeted beds and watched how Madame Pomfrey searched for something in a small cabin. The woman finally took out a glass vial and poured its content into a cup. She then murmured an incantation and waved her wand so the liquid started shining.

'Excellent..' she whispered more to herself than the girls in the room.

The nurse took the cup and gave it to Hermione.

'Drink it. It will heal your wounds in a matter of minutes.'

The girl did as ordered - she poured the contents of the cup down her throat and finished the drink in one gulp. It didn't taste as bad as she thought it would.

'So can I go now?'

'Oh no, miss Granger, I will need you to stay here tonight.' the woman said and raised her hand to silence the upcoming retort the girl was about to give her, 'I will check and heal any left scars tomorrow morning. If everything will look good – you'll be able to go.'

'Hrm… Fine. Can I at least take some books to read?'

'Of course. Can Miss Weasley bring them to you?'

'Yeah, sure.' the younger student smiled, 'Which ones do you want, Hermione?'

'Just take the small pile from the table next to my bed and bring it to me. I'll do some research while I'm stuck here.' she huffed and lay down on the comfortable bed.

'This will be a long night.' the girl murmured when Ginny left her alone.

After the young Weasley girl brought Hermione her books, she stayed with the golden girl for a few more hours. They talked about classes and boys, intentionally avoiding any topics that might have anything to do with the dark side. The experiences were depressing enough and the bookworm wanted nothing more than to forget about everything. For a while, at least. She knew that this wasn't the last of it but she hoped wholeheartedly that the Aurors would catch the woman who inflicted so much pain… and that she would finally get what she deserves. The death eater would rot in a cold cell of Azkaban prison once again. This time – for good. The thought should've made Hermione joyful but… they didn't. She was both, happy and sad while thinking about this form of punishment, and she was still trying to figure out how that could be.

'I've got to run, Hermione. I'll come first thing in the morning, alright?' Ginny assured her friend and stood up.

'Yeah… It's fine, Gin. Really. I'll be alright.' the muggleborn smiled when she saw her friend's worried expression.

The red-head hugged her tightly and after muttering a quiet 'goodbye', left the Hospital wing. Hermione took one of the books from the pile placed next to her and, after comforting herself in the bed, began reading. The thick tome in her hands consisted mainly of information about plants and potion ingredients. Even now, all the gryffindor let herself think about had something to do with studies. Just because these horrible things were happening, didn't mean she could waste any time. Every hour was precious and she needed to learn more and more, even if she could not attend her classes.

Honestly, she felt good enough to go learn but professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey insisted she'd stay here. They mentioned something about Bellatrix's wicked ways and enchanted blades. The witches were worried that the wounds might have side-effects if not properly healed so it was very important for the girl to be on their watch for at least twenty-four hours.

Hermione didn't think that the raven-haired woman would've done something more to her. As stupid as that may have sounded, she was sure that the death eater needed her healthy. If she truly wanted her help. The one thing the student couldn't understand was why did Bellatrix think she was the one who should help her, in any way. She hated her and the feeling was mutual. Why would the older witch try to get to her so desperately then?..

'Light's out.' a soft voice purred.

The young gryffindor turned her head to the entrance of the room and looked straight into the bright brown eyes of an unseen – yet unbelievably beautiful – woman. She was tall and had waist-long straight brown hair that fell perfectly down her back. Her skin seemed flawless and almost porcelain-like. It made her plump pink lips stand out even more than it should. She was wearing the same white coat as Madame Pomfrey so the girl assumed she was just another nurse. If Hermione's assumptions were correct, she was the newest staff member. The student wondered why she hadn't seen her before.

'What are you thinking about?' the newcomer chuckled, 'You look quite… intense, dear.'

'Who are you?' Hermione couldn't help but ask bluntly. She mentally smacked herself afterwards.

'A nurse, isn't it obvious?' she grinned, 'You can call me Miss Thornhill.'

'Oh. Alright. I'm sorry for being so straightforward with my questions but… why haven't I seen you before?' she bit her lip when the woman walked up and took a seat right next to her, sporting a smirk, 'I mean, your colleague always shows up for breakfast and dinner and such.'

'Well I'm not particularly a company person, you see. I enjoy my meals alone.' miss Thornhill answered, as if stating the obvious, 'Why are you so interested though, girl?'

'Just… wondering. That's all.'

'Oh.' was the simple reply.

'I-I think I'll be going to sleep now.' Hermione said awkwardly.

'You should.' the other witch said with a nod and stood up.

The nurse turned off the lights with a flick of her wand and, after giving one last glance to the girl, walked away. The look was quick, almost as if it didn't happen. But Hermione saw it. And she noticed that something was strange about it, for the woman's look was quite… malicious.

* * *

She was woken up by a sound of knocking. The girl slowly opened her eyes and saw a small dark figure behind the farthest window. It was a black owl. Hermione didn't know anyone with that kind of owl so she figured it was from the school's owlery. She jumped out of the bed and silently tip-toed to the very end of the room. The muggleborn carefully opened the big window and let the owl inside. It had a small envelope tied onto its leg and Hermione gently took it off. Then, without any waiting, the bird flew out through the window and soon blended with the night's sky.

The girl went back to her bed and sat down. She gently ripped the lid of the envelope and took out a piece of parchment that was placed inside of it. Other than what seemed to be a letter, her mail was empty. She threw the remaining paper into the nearest bin and opened the letter. As soon as she started reading it, tears formed in her hazel eyes.

_You thought you'd get away with this, didn't you? Well, think again. I hoped you'd be smart; at least that's what everyone told me all these years. The brightest witch of her age… Bullshit. Should've known you're just a pathetic mudblood like the rest of them. I never expected more, to be honest._

_Now that you've got the entire Ministry on hunt for me, I congratulate you. You made the decision to lose your friends yourself. This is what I offer - and believe me, for the __last __fucking time – either you make sure I get out of this bloody mess, or you watch your little blond ravenclaw friend die. I had her in my cellar once so I believe you are aware that I will have her again if you fail to do what I order. And that's just the beginning. I'll slaughter every ginger blood traitor you seem so fond of, one by one. Starting with the girl. Then your boyfriend and the rest. Then Potter. I will have their heads and they won't even know what hit them. I'll kill each and every person dear to you. Your filthy muggle mother and father. Everyone. Except you. You'll suffer something a lot worse than death itself. Trust me on this._

_Now, if you don't want all of that to happen, you better read the next part very intently, mudblood._

_After Pomfrey makes sure that you don't have any scars, and she will, you won't wait for the ginger brat. Not even for a minute. You will leave Hogwarts immediately and go to the Forbidden Forest. Right behind that disgusting half-giant's hut, there's a muddy path between two exceptionally tall birch trees. It's as dirty as your blood, so you won't have any trouble spotting it, I believe. Walk down that path and when you reach a large rock on your right, turn left. You will walk up a small hill and look straight when you're standing on the very top. You should spot a blue light. If you don't, then just open your fucking eyes and you'll see it. Walk to it. I'll approach you from there. If you bring anyone with you, you know the consequences. _

_Make sure to have your wand and brains present. And that no one follows you. Don't tell anyone. I'll know if you do. I see everything. _

_B._

Hermione dropped the paper to the floor and quickly grabbed her wand. She pointed it directly at the letter.

'Incendio.' she whispered and the parchment lit immediately.

The fire swallowed every inch of the object but the girl spotted the last three words before it burst into flames completely.

'_I see everything.' _rang in her head in Bellatrix's voice so clearly, as if she was right next to her.

After the letter and the fire were both gone, the gryffindor finally lay down and closed her eyes. Once again, she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

'Miss Granger, wake up.'

Slowly, Hermione opened her eyes. Her eyelids felt so heavy that she almost didn't succeed. A worried Madame Pomfrey stood in front of her, holding a vial of green substance.

'Are you alright, girl?'

'I'm fine.' she murmured and lifted herself into a sitting position, 'Where is Miss Thornhill?'

'Where's who?' the older woman raised her eyebrows in confusion.

'Miss Thornhill. The new nurse. She was here yesterday, turned the lights off.' Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

'Are you sure you are ok, Miss Granger?' the nurse looked even more worried now, 'Perhaps I should call the headmistress.'

She couldn't let her do this; an image of the death eater's letter crossed her mind immediately:

'No! There's no need. Why would you call professor McGonagall?'

'There is no Miss Thornhill, Granger. No new nurses were applied this year.'

'What?' the student asked, wide-eyed; she saw the woman – even spoke to her, 'But I-I…'

'Perhaps you should stay here tonight, too.'

'There really is no need for that.' Hermione said through gritted teeth; she didn't have much time, 'I'm sorry. This was just a misunderstanding. Can you just check my wounds and we'll be done with it? I need to attend my classes.'

'Alright. Drink this and turn around.' the older witch gave her the flask, still confused.

Hermione gulped the medicine and turned her back to the nurse. She felt how the woman lifted the clothes she wore and her back met the cold air. Cold fingers brushed her skin where the wounds were.

'Well, there's almost nothing left. In a day or two, the scars will disappear completely.'

'Great. Can I go now?'

'Of course. Come visit in a few days to make sure everything went as planned.'

'I will.' the girl faked a smile and quickly shoved her books into her bag.

She almost ran to the door but before she could mutter a quick 'goodbye', the same voice stopped her:

'If you have any troubles, any at all, go to the headmistress. Don't hesitate.'

'I will, Madame Pomfrey. Thank you for everything.' she received a not from the woman and left the Hospital wing.

Without any waiting, she ran out of the Hospital tower, to the corridor on the left and almost bumped into the Hogwarts entrance door. She looked around and, when she made sure that no one was following her, the girl pushed the heavy doors and stepped outside the castle. In a quick pace, she walked down a hill and towards the small, familiar house where Hagrid lived. When she reached it, Hermione fought the urge to slam the door open and tell her friend everything. However, she quietly walked past the building and looked for the tall trees she read about in the letter.

It wasn't long before she saw them and ran to the path. 'As dirty as your blood' she thought and gripped the wand in her pocket tightly. She walked exactly where the death eater wrote for her to go and after passing a large rock and climbing up a hill, she stood on the very top of it and searched for the light. After a few moments, she finally saw it. About five hundred meters away from her, shone a blue fire, similar to what she liked to cast when studying for a test in the middle of the night. Realising there was no turning back now, she sighed and started moving towards the flame.

* * *

Ginny Weasley ran into the hospital wing with anticipation, only to find it empty. She turned around – there was no sign of Hermione or her things. Confused, the girl walked up to the staff room and slightly knocked on the door.

'Yes?' the nurse's head popped into view when she opened the entrance, 'What is it, miss Weasley?'

'Where is Hermione?' she asked.

'Miss Granger left ten minutes ago. Why?'

'Strange. She was supposed to wait for me here.' Ginny mused.

'Her behaviour was quite… interesting when she woke up.'

'What do you mean?'

'She spoke about a new nurse. No other nurses actually exist in our school. She said that a woman, to whom she referred to as Miss Thornhill, came last night and turned off the lights. Oddly enough, I remember doing that myself.'

The young Weasley girl arched her eyebrows, clearly confused. It was unlikely that her friend would lie to a Hogwarts staff member. Or anyone, for that matter.

'Did she say anything else about her?'

'No. But she seemed quite troubled and in a hurry. I told her to see professor McGonagall if something happened.'

'Well… I guess I'll have to go and find her then. Thank you.'

Madame Pomfrey nodded and the gryffindor quickly ran into the corridor. She was about to turn right when she spotted a familiar figure through the window.

Outside, Hermione was running down a hill, seemingly towards Hagrid's – or the forest. The muggleborn looked around rapidly as if making sure she wasn't being followed.

'I guess I'll need to change that.' the red-head whispered to herself and took the familiar path that lead to the Headmaster's tower.

* * *

**The perks of writing a new chapter. Hehe.**

**Please hit that button - review! **

**x**


	4. The Forest

**_A/N: _I do feel bad for letting you down and not updating for a long time. Thruth is, my life is either full of work (exams, etc.) or reaally messed up and shitty emotionally, which takes my muse away. Anyway, i did write this chapter, so that means i'm back in the game. Even though it is quite short (sincere apologies for that), i hope you enjoy reading it nonetheless. Thank you for the great reviews and you know.. Keep them coming! x**

**Oh, just to clear things up, i will try to develop the relationship throughout the story, so it won't be just a 'quick romance' fic. It will eventually come to that point but until that, i will have to ask you to bear with me. Sorry for any inconvenience. **

**And I don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

Chapter 4:

_The Forest_

* * *

By the time Hermione reached the blue fire, the sun had already set and the sky had painted itself a deep shade of purple. Normally the girl would've stopped to admire the exquisite view but now, however, was not the time to do so. A vicious woman could jump out of any corner at any moment. An assassin, a torturer, a cruel witch with no understanding of mercy... The Gryffindor knew how dangerous this was. She was alone and vulnerable, practically defenceless, for any wrong movement could cause her friends death.

'You're here.' a hoarse, malicious voice ringed from, seemingly, afar.

Hermione spun around to find the owner of it standing mere metres away. A tall, dark-clad witch known to the entire Wizarding world as Lord Voldemort's right-hand woman. Or simply Bellatrix Lestrange. Grinning, she flicked her raven black hair to the side and started walking towards the girl. Slowly.

'Of course I am.' Hermione whispered when she finally caught her breath back, 'You didn't give me much choice, did you?..'

'Oh but I did.' said the older woman, now only a couple of inches away from the girl.

Sighing, she reached her arm out and twisted a strand of the Gryffindor's hair around her pale finger:

'You had all the choices in the world, my pet. You could've left me alone with my problems; you could have refused to help me. Yet, you are here, muddy.'

The girl jumped away from the witch, her whole body shaking with rage.

'I-I could have... what? What the bloody hell are you talking about?!' she shouted, pacing back and forth in confusion, 'For your information I _never _agreed to help you with... whatever it is you want me to help you with! Hell, I only came here so you wouldn't kill the people I love!'

'And that's all that matters.' Bellatrix said with an unusual calmness in her voice, 'You came.'

'I-?.. You're mental!' at this point, the girl was screaming.

Hermione was furious. What on earth was that woman on about? Nothing she said made any sense whatsoever and that drove the young girl insane. Here she was, ready to sacrifice herself for the sake of her loved ones and this Death Eater, this... murderer, stood in front of her, as calm as ever, like there was nothing unusual about the situation they were both in.

'I've been called worse, mudblood. Your words don't affect me.' the dark witch sneered.

'Why am I here?' the girl finally asked.

'To help me survive.'

'What do you mean?'

'Don't pretend to be dumb, muddy. After our last little encounter, the entire Ministry is on hunt for me. Do you think I can run forever and hide on my own?' Bellatrix rolled her eyes as if her statement was completely obvious.

'You make no sense. Why did you come for me in the first place? Everyone thought you were dead, why did you even show up when you could've lived on secretly?'

'Really?' the Death Eater cocked her head to the side and continued, 'And where do you reckon I'd live, hm? My sister's house? Or maybe I should go see the blood traitor Andromeda? Or, perhaps, I should go back to my old manors? Believe it or not, pet, but all of these places are either in the hands of the Ministry or full of bloody Aurors!'

'Why me then?' Hermione shivered after the woman raised her voice, 'Why did you pick me?'

'Well you _were_ the only one who knew I was alive.'

'Oh.' was the only reply she could think of.

'Anyway, none of that matters right now. Since you were stupid enough to tell McGonagall about me, I guess we-'

'You tortured me!' the girl screamed and pointed her wand directly at Bellatrix's face, 'You cut me and laughed at my pain! And yet you hope I will help you?! You're a monster!'

'Lower your wand, girl.' the older witch growled, anger flickering in her coal black eyes, 'If you know what's good for you.'

'Oh really?' it was Hermione's time to sneer, 'Let's pretend that I _do _lower my wand and tuck it safely in my pocket. You'll what, leave me alone and won't inflict pain? Give me a break.'

The woman looked furious. Gone was the manic grin she had earlier. She started walking up to the girl, who was mirroring her movements by heading back.

'I'm warning you.' Bellatrix whispered, drawing her own wand out.

'_Stupefy_!' the girl shouted but nothing happened, '_Stupefy_! _Stupefy_! _Stupefy_!'

It didn't work. She tried different incantations, wordless spells, but they were useless. 'Should have expected this', she thought. Hermione started panicking, for the Death Eater looked angrier than ever.

'You're a fool, mudblood.'

'I know.'

The Gryffindor quickly ducked from the spell that was suddenly coming her way. She grabbed a handful of leaves and rocks from the ground, threw them in the woman's face and ran for it.

Hermione passed trees, jumped over branches and tried to avoid spells that were constantly shot at her. She was running as fast as she could and the girl felt that she would soon be out of breath. Nevertheless, she moved further into the forest without looking back because in this case, her life did depend on it.

'You can't run forever, mudpup!' Bellatrix cackled while shooting a Crucio at the moving figure.

'Watch me.' the girl said, more to herself than the older woman.

'Okay, that's enough.' were the last words Hermione heard before a loud Pop!.

In a moment, Bellatrix appeared right in front of her.

'Gotcha.'

Suddenly, the girl felt herself being pushed and her back hit the hard ground. Without hesitation, the dark haired witch jumped on top of her and straddled her waist. As hard as the Gryffindor tried to push the woman off of her and free herself, she had to admit it was a lost cause. This time there was nothing to distract the witch with, nor had she any weapons. She was completely in the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.

'Now, hopefully I won't have to chase you again, mudblood.'

'Get off me.'

'No.' the Death Eater smirked, 'I think you should learn some manners.'

'And I hear this from a psychopath murderer.'

'Watch it.' it seemed like Bellatrix's lips curled into somewhat a playful smile; 'Or maybe I'm just going mad', Hermione thought.

'What do you want?'

There was a long pause. The raven haired woman watched the young girl closely. Her dark gaze was locked with hazel eyes, staring right through them. Finally, she opened her mouth and spoke:

'I need you to get me out of prison and find me a place to live.'

'Technically, you're not in prison at the moment. You're sitting on me. In the Forest.'

'I will be kissing the cold walls of Azkaban if the Aurors find me. Of course, they might not catch me but that's uncertain. Hell, there are thousands of them right now and I'm alone. Even the fact that half of them are idiots doesn't help my situation.'

'And how do I come in handy in this brilliant plan of yours?..' Hermione sighed; her back was killing her for the pressure of the woman's weight pressed her body harder into a rock she was lying on.

'I heard you were the brains of your little trio, you'll figure something out.'

'And what if I don't?'

'You know what happens then, dearie.' Bellatrix grinned maliciously; back was the crazy glint in her eyes, 'Everyone dies.'

'Not a chance.' spoke a stern voice from behind.

Before either of them could react, a_ Stupefy_ was shot their way and the Death Eater slumped unconscious on top or the Gryffindor.

'Hermione, are you okay?' Ginny Weasley ran to her friend, who was freeing herself from under the witch.

'Yeah, I'm fine.'

'What did she want from you now?' the red head asked.

'I think we shall discuss everything in my office.' said Minerva McGonagall, who was now standing next to Bellatrix.

The woman flicked her wand and the dark witch shot up into the air and floated next to the Headmistress.

'Let's go, girls. Miss Granger, I realise that this has been quite a shocking day for you already. You'll be able to rest when we get back to the castle.'

'To be honest professor, after all these years, nothing shocks me that much anymore.' Hermione said with a small smile and followed the other two.

* * *

Weeks passed by and Hermione slowly adjusted to a normal, every-day routine once again. After their last encounter in the Forbidden Forest, the girl heard nothing of Bellatrix. She knew the Aurors had taken her after they brought the woman to Hogwarts that day but that was all. Nobody told her what would happen to the dark witch because frankly, nobody thought it was her business.

However, the girl couldn't help but think about the crazy woman every other day. How could she not – first she drags the girl into her life, demands her help in some psycho plan and then... she's gone. Hermione couldn't live calmly without knowing the truth. She had to make sure that the Death Eater won't bother her again.

'Hermione! Wait up!' someone called while the Gryffindor was walking to the common room after dinner.

She looked around to find Neville running after her.

'Didn't see you there, Neville. What is it?' she smiled.

'I-I...' he started, clearly out of air, 'I was asked by professor McGonagall to find you.'

'What happened?' Hermione asked, concerned.

'She said it was important. She wishes to see you in her office in ten minutes.'

'Alright. Thanks Neville!'

Hermione ran to the Headmaster's wing. She breathed out the password once she reached the statue and quickly walked upstairs. After knocking and hearing a silent 'come in' in response, the girl burst into the room and closed the door behind her.

'Ah, Hermione, I'm glad you're here.' McGonagall stood up and walked towards the girl, 'Please, take a seat.'

'What is it, professor?' she asked, accepting the offer and making herself comfortable in a soft chair in behind a wide, dark wooden desk.

'Butterbeer?' the Headmistress asked, taking two bottles out of a glass cupboard and walked back to her chair.

'Thank you.' Hermione said, taking the still-warm drink.

'I think it's time to tell you what happened with one certain witch.'

'I knew it had something to do with Bellatrix.' the girl sighed, taking a sip of the amber liquid, 'Even when she's gone, she's not _really _gone, is she?..'

'I suppose not.'

'So what did happen to her?'

'Well, after we came back, I took her to my tower and called Kingsley. He came almost immediately with a handful of Aurors. You see, they didn't take any chances of letting her go again.' McGonagall sipped her own drink and continued, 'It was unnecessary, of course, for my stunner was quite strong. She stayed unconscious for hours.'

Hermione smiled and her professor did the same.

'When they appeared, I told them everything that you told me. About the letter and what happened in the forest. They asked me why she was doing this and I told them that none of us have any idea. They weren't surprised and asked no more. Everyone knows that she's not particularly... stable.'

Now, the girl's smile faded. She hadn't told anyone the reason behind all of this fiasco. No one knew that Bellatrix needed her help.

'After the Aurors took her to the Ministry, I asked Kingsley what would happen to her.' the Headmistress continued; she didn't notice the change in the Gryffindor's face, 'He told me that she would have a hearing in a month. There are so many people who are blamed to have had connections with Voldemort that the court is working twenty-four hours every day. Their schedules are full for another three months. Anyway, he told me that even without the hearing her situation is quite obvious, so she would be imprisoned even before it takes part.'

'So she's in Azkaban right now?'

'Yes. However, her cell and environment are softer before she goes to court, so I guess one could say that madam Lestrange should enjoy it while she can.'

'Is that all?' Hermione asked; she was sure that there was something else McGonagall needed to tell her.

'Not quite.' sudden worry flickered in Minerva's eyes, 'There is one more thing. The most important, actually.'

'Go on.'

'Like I said, Bellatrix's imprisonment is a lot... lighter right now. She gets better treatment and a lot more attention. She can ask for certain favours, as long as they're reasonable. These kinds of prisoners can go outside when desired and have multiple visitors every day even.'

'What does that have to do with me?' the girl asked, still confused.

'Well, like I said, she can ask for favours. And, if her desires aren't a threat to our world, they can be granted. Bellatrix knows her rights and she did use one of them.' McGonagall sighed; her hand was shaking a little when she tried to take a sip of butterbeer, 'She told the Aurors that she required a meeting with someone. Lestrange wants to see that person in her cell on Wednesday. She required that the person and herself would be alone for at least an hour, for the conversation they need to have is personal. She made a vow not to harm her visitor in any physical way so really, there are no flaws in her plan. The Minister was forced to grant her wish.'

'And who is the person she requires to meet?' words left Hermione's mouth even though she was sure that she knew the answer.

'You.'

* * *

**Hit that review button, tell me what you think!**

**x**


	5. Empty

_**A/N: **_**Once again, thank you for the lovely reviews and follows/favourites you give my story. Each and every one of them makes me happy and encourages to write more. I do hope you carry on reading and, most importantly, enjoying it. I tried my best to make this chapter interesting for you guys so here it goes. Hopefully you find it as good (or better even) as the last ones. x**

**I still don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

Chapter 5: _  
_

_Empty_

* * *

_November 4__th__, 1981_

_Bellatrix Lestrange __walked through a stone ground corridor of Azkaban prison with pride and arrogance. Even though she was very much not in charge of the situation, the woman kept her appearance of superiority. Neither Rabastan nor Rodolphus were in her sight – they parted on the third floor. In front of her, however, two men were dragging a young fair boy forward, every step of theirs followed by pleads of mercy. Barty Crouch Junior was too young for the horrors of Azkaban. Bellatrix knew he wouldn't make it but she did not, however, feel pity. She too was in the same position as him and she was proud. Unlike the Lestranges, Barty tried to convince the jury he was innocent but his pleads for mercy did him no justice. The boy was caught along with the three who sat silent. 'Father, you can't do this! Don't let them take me, I'm innocent! I'm innocent!' he shrieked. The judge showed no sign that he had heard his son. All four were sentenced to a lifetime in prison. Now, being pulled to the place he'd spend the rest of his days in, the young man still cried for his family. The last echo of his voice reached the woman's ears before three more Azkaban guards showed up and led her forward._

_Their fate did not surprise her. She was sure they would be caught the moment the Longbottoms lost their minds. She remembered. After she lifted her last 'Crucio', she looked at the other three and screamed. The last hope to find out her Lord's whereabouts had died. There was no more hope. The witch began hexing every single thing she saw. The men watched her in fear; they knew better than to disturb her. She was about to burn the place before she heard a muffled cry. The woman stopped and listened._

_'Bellatrix, don't do-' Rodolphus started but was soon cut off._

_'Shut up.' Bellatrix spat and slowly started climbing upstairs._

_When she reached the second floor, the death eater followed the sound of the cries. In a small room at the very end of the hall stood a small bed with a child in it. The small boy was still sobbing but when he saw the dark witch, he stopped. His little eyes lit up at the presence of another person; he was happy to have company, even if it wasn't his mother's. _

_She couldn't kill him. She didn't know why but she just turned around and walked away. _

_Bellatrix sighed. Moments after an army of Aurors apparated to the house one by one and the four of them were caught. And now, a few days later, here she was, finally stopped by a bunch of armed men who now pushed her into her very own cell. Despite her pitiful state, the witch held her head high and turned to face the guards with a proud expression on her face. One of the men was working on safety wards while the other two watched her intensely, hatred burning in their eyes. Bellatrix cackled._

_'Aye, Stan, we're goin' back to the office, come back as soon as yer done with this monster, alright?'_

_'Sure.' the man murmured, focused only on his spells._

_The other two nodded and turned to walk down the corridor. 'That's one crazy bitch, looks like she's won a prize or somethin'!' was the last thing she heard before they disappeared from her sight. Lazily, the death eater walked over to the bars that now separated her from the world and most importantly - freedom. She leaned into the cold metal and eyed the man who was still too fixed on his magic to notice her._

_'Isn't it annoying that you have to do all the hard work for a bad woman like me while others are resting, pet?' she asked, tauntingly._

_'What?' he looked up at her, as if woken from a trance, 'I'm doing my job, Lestrange.'_

_'But why can't others do it?' she smirked, leaning into the bars even more so that her face was sticking trough a small gap, 'Don't you want to do something more.. Enjoyable?' _

_He gulped and lowered his wand. Bellatrix's grin grew wider as the guard slowly walked towards her. He was enchanted, she knew. Even though they feared her, even though they knew the crimes she had committed, men were still attracted to her. They were drawn by her undeniable beauty – something she was thankful for to her mother and father. Being beautiful helped in so many situations, just like this one. She could get what she wanted._

_'Stan, isn't it?' the woman whispered softly when the man was only inches away from her; he nodded, 'Could you do me a favour dearie?'_

_'W-What do y-you want?' he stammered. _

_'Why don't you take me to the showers right now? I'd love to freshen up.' she smirked; it was just too easy._

_'N-Now?'_

_'Yes, my pet.'_

_Bellatrix stepped away and chuckled to herself as the man slowly started undoing the incantations he so intensely worked on before. As soon as she stepped out of the cell, she'd knock out the moron and escape this hell hole. Then, she'd go searching for the Dark Lord again._

_The guard was almost done when the witch heard another's voice:_

_'Hey, aren't you finished yet?' one of the other two men came into view again, 'We… Stan, what the hell are you doing?!'_

_He pushed the man away from the cell bars as he was reaching to open them. _

_'What the fuck is wrong with you?! Do you want her to escape?'_

_'She needs to use the shower.' Stan whispered, finally regaining his senses._

_'Oh no she bloody hell doesn't!' he roared and turned to the death eater, 'How did you manage to curse him?'_

_'I didn't, you idiot.' Bellatrix sneered._

_'Mad bitch!' he screamed and flicked his wand, pointing it at her._

_In a moment, the woman was flying into one of the stone walls. She hit her head and heard a crack after slumping on the ground. Even though her body hurt, Bellatrix managed to stand up. She gently touched the back of her head, where the faint ache was. Ruby liquid trickled down the waterfall of her raven hair and now – her pale hand. The witch laughed._

_'Filthy blood traitor, you will pay for this! My Lord will come back for me, you'll see! And then you'll pay for every drop of blood I lose!'_

_'Your so called Lord is dead and you'll rot in this cell for the rest of your life, Lestrange.' he grinned and after helping his colleague stand up, both of them walked away, leaving the woman alone._

_'You are wrong! He'll come back for me! Filthy morons, he'll be back! The Dark Lord will rescue me!' _

_Bellatrix shrieked for hours, alone and unheard. After a while, a tiny little creature, locked in the deepest corners of her brain, hidden from any eyes but her own, faintly whispered: 'What if he doesn't?'..._

* * *

When Wednesday finally came, Hermione felt as sick as ever. She never thought she could dread a day of the week so much. Yet, here she was, shaking like a leaf just from hearing the word.

This was the day she had to visit Azkaban for the first time. Were it only that, the girl would've rather enjoy it. It was, after all, a piece of knowledge to find out where all convicted murderers and Death Eaters spent their days. However, today was the day she had to meet one for a conversation only the other person knew about. Girl to girl.

'Don't worry, Miss Granger. She will not be able to harm you.' Minerva Mcgonagall tried to calm the girl though her own look wasn't so assuring.

'Not physically.' Hermione muttered.

'What was that?'

'Nothing, professor.'

The two women walked out of the castle and to the apparition point in silence. The weather outside was beautiful. Sun was shining high up in the sky and most students were outside, either hanging out with their schoolmates, studying or simply taking a stroll around Hogwarts grounds. 'How ironic' Hermione thought. She had to face one of her darkest nightmares on such a bright and lovely day.

'We're here.' the older woman announced, 'Now, I'm sure you're brilliant at apparition, however, we will have to apparate together in order to reach Azkaban.'

'Alright.'

'Are you ready for this?' McGonagall eyed the girl with concern.

'As ready as I'll ever be.'

She grabbed the headmistress's arm and with a stomach-churning feeling, disapparated.

When the gryffindor opened her eyes, she gasped. They were now standing in front of the scariest and one of the tallest buildings she had ever seen. Everything about the place was terrifying. There was no sun, no warmth here. Only sounds of splashing waves ant the scent of the salty sea water lingered in the atmosphere. Hermione shivered slightly when a whiff of cold wind reached her.

A large, heavily warded door of the prison opened and a buff, sharply dressed man walked through. He noticed the women and gave a curt nod from afar before walking towards them. He looked quite young, about the age of twenty-six. The man was tall and masculine, his fair hair neatly combed. His expression was unreadable; blue eyes void of any emotions.

'Professor McGonagall. Miss Granger.' he bowed his head slightly, greeting the two, 'Welcome to Azkaban prison. My name is Oliver and I will escort you to the meeting place. Follow me.'

He walked back to the door and the witches did the same. After they stepped into the building, the doors closed and magically sealed themselves, transforming into a plain wall. Other than that, the inside of the prison was not fascinating at all. Hermione felt unnerved by the constant labyrinth of stone walls that followed her every step she took. No matter where they were going – forward, left, right, up or down multiple sets of stairs – the place never changed. It felt as if they were walking in the same corridor over and over again.

Finally, they stopped in front of large metal doors. The warden flicked his wand and they opened. Both Hermione and her professor stepped through the entrance at the same time. Oliver went after them and the doors sealed shut just like the last time. He motioned them to a nearby room, which apparently was his office. They walked inside and Hermione slumped on one of the chairs, not able to stand anymore for she realised this was it. She would meet Bellatrix in mere minutes.

The girl's professor walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder before facing the man:

'What's next?' she asked coldly.

'Well, I am informed that the prisoner wished to talk to Miss Granger alone. I was also told that this wish is to be granted. Am I right?'

Hermione nodded.

'The prisoner is taken to a no-harm cell at the moment. You will follow me to this cell, while you,' he looked at McGonagall, 'wait here.'

'Is it safe?' the headmistress asked again.

'Of course. Countless protective wards were placed upon that room. Do not worry – the prisoner is unable to harm you in any way. You will not stay alone for more than twenty minutes. When the time's up, I will come to escort you out immediately.'

The young witch couldn't force any words to come out of her mouth so she just sat there, staring at the man.

'I promise - you're safe.' he finally spoke without his formal tone and warmth flickered in his eyes for the first time.

'Thank you.' Hermione whispered.

Gently, he offered her his hand and she took it, trying to stand up. Together they walked out of the room and he led her through another cold corridor. After five minutes, they stopped. At the very end was the entrance to the cell the girl would soon be in. Her body tensed as the guard slowly opened the door.

'After you.' he said.

Step by step, Hermione finally reached her destination after what now seemed a lifetime of walking. There, in the room, stood a table with two chairs on opposite sides. One of them was already occupied. The girl dared to look up and found coal black eyes boring into hers.

'You have twenty minutes.' Oliver's voice cut through the silence; the gryffindor flinched, 'No funny business.'

And with that, she heard the door close. He was gone. They were alone.

'Hello, pet.' Bellatrix said, not once taking her gaze from the young witch, 'Sit down.'

Hermione, even though unwillingly, took the unpleasantly given offer. She sat on the hard chair and waited for what was coming next.

'How's life going for my little muddy?'

'Oh get on with it! What do you want, Lestrange?' the girl frowned.

'Black.' Bellatrix hissed through gritted teeth, 'It's Black.'

'I don't care. Why am I here?'

'Because we have some unfinished business, don't we now?'

'No, actually, we don't, Bellatrix.' the younger witch sighed, 'This is useless, there is no point in this meeting.'

Hermione stood up and was about to walk towards the door when a soft voice stopped her:

'Wait.'

She turned around to see the death eater standing as well; however, there was something odd about her. For the first time ever, the woman's posture didn't scream arrogance, wealth and greatness. Bellatrix Lestrange, or Black, as she so desired to be called, looked defeated.

'I knew that eventually I'd end up in here again. These walls… they're maddening. I haven't a slightest idea when I will finally lose it. My sanity, or rather what's left of it.' the shell of a woman whispered but the girl heard each word as clearly as if they were being shouted, 'Soon, I suppose.'

Bellatrix looked at the witch in front of her once again, her grimace wasn't taunting anymore. Hermione saw emotion in her eyes, something she never thought she'd witness. Sadness.

'Why am I here?' she tried again.

'When I realised that my Lord was gone, I wished that Weasley bitch had killed me for good. I had nothing left in this world, I knew. My sister chose her husband and son over me and honestly, I think she chose wisely. Who would rather live with a deranged, broken witch than her family?'

'Bellatrix, why-'

'Then again, I was alive. Though I wasn't sure for how long. You see, I woke up in the hall that morning, not sure what to expect. I couldn't just stand up and leave when there were so many people around. I needed to wait until I was alone. So I did.' the woman continued, 'I was finally alone. I found a wand and placed a Disillusionment charm on myself. I went to Snape's old storeroom and took a bottle of Pollyjuice leftovers. When I came back to the hall, the charm was wearing off but luckily the room was still empty. I put my hair into the liquid and was about to pour it into one of the death eater's throats when I heard the doors open. I fell to the ground and pretended to be dead.'

'That was when I walked up to you…'

'The first time, yes. I felt your presence next to me and I was hoping you wouldn't notice. But you did.' Bellatrix grinned maliciously, yet her look did not share the same evil glint, 'I opened my eyes to see who you were just before you left. I promised then that I'd pay you a visit.'

'Why?' was the only question Hermione could think of, 'The next day I went to check you again and I found no pulse, no heartbeat. I thought you were dead. Why come back?'

'Eventually, I would have gotten caught. Or killed. I needed someone and you were the perfect prey, mudblood.'

'How come?' the girl asked, confused.

'When you made sure I was dead, what did you feel, muddy? Were you happy that the world rid itself of a big bad witch like me?'

'I…'

'You weren't were you?' the older woman smirked.

'No.' Hermione answered, truthfully, 'No matter what you've done, I couldn't be happy for your death. Or anyone's for that matter,'

'Exactly.'

'What do you want from me?'

'Do you agree with the ways of torture in Azkaban, mudpup? With the environment, the Dementors sucking people's souls?'

'No.'

'Do you think anyone should suffer this kind of treatment?'

'No.'

'My my, mudblood, you make this rather easy.'

'What on earth are you talking about?' Hermione asked, frowning at the woman in front of her.

'Should _I_ experience this treatment, muddy?' Bellatrix grinned.

'No. That doesn't mean you don't deserve it.'

'Oh but you do believe I don't. You believe no one deserves this, don't you, pet?'

The gryffindor didn't answer.

'Tell you what, you are able to change this. Now that you're a hero, you can do anything, can't you? So why don't you be a nice little mudblood and get me out of this place, hmm?'

Hermione snorted.

'Like hell I will. I'm not the Minister of Magic.'

'But you know him well.'

'You're a threat to the Wizarding world. Or any world, honestly. No one will let you roam around free and unpunished. You will have to pay for what you've done.'

The hollow look came back to Bellatrix's eyes and the grin fell from her face. It seemed as if the woman wasn't with this world anymore.

'I failed him. Don't touch me. I failed him.'

'Bellatrix, what are you doing?'

'Don't let them suck my soul out. My Lord, I'm sorry. Please don't.'

'Bellatrix!' the girl finally walked up to the now trembling form of the other witch and shook her with all her strength, 'Snap out of it!'

'I hear them. They're laughing. STOP LAUGHING!' she screamed and turned her empty gaze at Hermione.

The death eater tried to deliver a slap to the girl's face but immediately, the wards kicked in and she was thrown back by an invisible force and fell to the ground with a thud.

Terrified and shaking, Hermione stood in place and watched the older woman stand up. She looked at the coal black orbs once again and found that Bellatrix was back with her again.

'What just happened?' the young witch whispered more to herself than the other.

'They call for me. This is my punishment, mudblood.' the woman answered.

'I won't be able to get you out of here completely. The society wouldn't have you in. People are scared of you.'

'Then they're not as stupid as they seem.'

'See, you're not even feeling any remorse for your actions!' the gryffindor shook her head.

'Look, you either get me out of this, or I die. Will you be able to live with yourself if you knew that you could have done something to avoid a person's death but did nothing? Not even tried?'

Hermione bit her lip. 'She's right,' she thought. Why on earth is she right.

'I'll see.'

Suddenly, the door opened and Oliver walked in.

'Time's up. Miss Granger, follow me. You will be escorted to your cell soon, Lestrange.'

'It's Black.' the woman hissed.

The younger witch followed the warden and right when she was about to leave, the words reached her:

'I'm not going to beg, mudblood.'

She stopped and looked at the troubled woman. It was her look that pierced the older witch's now.

'Call me that one more time and I'll make sure you'll never see the outside world again.'

With that, Hermione left a puzzled Bellatrix alone in the dark cell.

* * *

**Leave a review - tell me what you think! **

**xx**


End file.
